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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25406443">The Atmosphere Here on Mars (Oh Lord it's Quite Bizarre)</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/MercySewerPyro/pseuds/MercySewerPyro'>MercySewerPyro</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>A Thousand Painted Teeth [11]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Prequel Trilogy, Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alcohol, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Drunken Shenanigans, Gen, Mental Link, Mostly happening in the background but they're there, Otherwise A Serious Conversation, The Penal Battalion is nothing but chaos</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-07-20</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-07-20</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-05 03:21:58</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,743</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25406443</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/MercySewerPyro/pseuds/MercySewerPyro</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Prudii and Jaing have set things in motion- And it's up to the CCs to take the momentum and make things happen. For the start, for gathering the evidence that Jaing can't slice his way into, that falls to their best ARCs: an Alpha, and a Domino.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>A Thousand Painted Teeth [11]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1728298</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>65</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>The Atmosphere Here on Mars (Oh Lord it's Quite Bizarre)</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>What are the Dominoes but a team of brothers so tight-knit that not all the troubles in the galaxy could separate them? Nearly only half of a squad, Rishi had just been the first of many trials that they would weather together. ARC training had only brought them closer when most squads were split, a pack of siblings, the dream team that so many shinies aspired to. With their strengths, they were practically the poster boys of the 501st.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Wish, their sniper, with his knack for knowing exactly what was going to happen just before it occurred. Fives, their stronger of their two Force-sensitives and an excellent pilot when push came to shove. Echo, regs and rules and a talent for hacking on the surface, but as vicious as a nexu under the veneer- Particularly with Fives at his side, so well known they were so often called the Terrible Twosome. Hevy, his Z-6 and his fierce leadership at the forefront.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>And Cutup. A smooth-talker and their most charming member, if he did say so himself. Cutup, their one who drifts from the whole, naturally gravitating towards the life and light all around him. He knows he’s not the odd one out, not really; he’s just the people person, and that comes with a socializing that leads him so often out of the hands of his squad and into the crowd.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>For all that Domino is deployed in twos and threes, regularly split between the 501st and 212th, Cutup is the only one they occasionally assign alone. The only one here on Coruscant.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>79’s is a welcome sight as Cutup winds his way leisurely through the thick crowds, the rain a light mist that hardly bothers those coming and going. It’s a busy night. Somebody’s spray painted a ‘6’ over the 7 in the name of the bar in an eye-burning shade of glow-in-the-dark orange, and he stifles a laugh at the </span>
  <em>
    <span>‘NICE’</span>
  </em>
  <span> sprayed underneath in the same colour. Trust the Penal Battalion to cause as much chaos as they physically can while they’re here. He knows they’re in the area - their ship, formally named </span>
  <em>
    <span>The Razor’s Edge</span>
  </em>
  <span> but better known as the </span>
  <em>
    <span>GRS Say My Name</span>
  </em>
  <span>, is currently in-atmo as they take on supplies and reinforcements - but it’s nice to see they haven’t been banned from the bar. Yet.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Besides, if they had been, his job here would be a bit more difficult.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>There’s conspicuously few of the Guard in the bar when he steps in, but considering the yelling of “CHUG! CHUG! CHUG!” from the far end of the bar, maybe they were just scared off by the chaos in the Penal Battalion’s orange and grey that is currently occupying more than half of the place. The rest seems to be occupied by the Wolfpack, and if anything they only seem to be encouraging this ruckus. Anyone else might be swept up by the clamouring, the noise- But not a clone. Not with a sibling’s mind tugging on his, leading him easily through the throng of </span>
  <em>
    <span>vode</span>
  </em>
  <span> and to a table hidden at the back.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>There, waiting for him, is Commander Wildcat herself, her orange just as loud and proud as her Battalion. She’s not alone, of course; Wolffe is beside her, and across from them is </span>
  <em>
    <span>Alpha-17</span>
  </em>
  <span> of all people. Even with knowing ahead of time, even with sensing the Alpha ARC before Cutup had even stepped off the Resolute, his steps still slow a bit. It’s not every day you’re face to face with the brother who trained the CCs almost as much as Jango. He brushes a greeting their way, and slips off his helmet.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Wildcat grins, sharp and a little feral, and waves him in. “And here he is, the bastard himself! C’mon, get yourself comfy, we’ll order you a drink. Move over Alpha, your big ass is taking up too much space.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Alpha huffs, passing a half-hidden retort through the link as he shifts- Causing Wildcat to let out a bark of laughter. Cutup can’t help but break into a grin. “All this just for me? I’m flattered.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Hey, you </span>
  <em>
    <span>always</span>
  </em>
  <span> butter up whoever you’re gonna send into the shit. It’s standard procedure.” Wildcat winks at him.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Wolffe just rolls his eyes so hard Cutup’s surprised the cybernetic doesn’t pop out. “Wildcat said she filled you in a bit before you got here?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He nods. “Something to do with the progenitor and his links with the Seppies?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah. Prudii and Jaing have been looking into some things that just don’t add up. Particularly pertaining to our creation, and Jango’s role. They think he might have been in contact with Separatists like Dooku even in the early days of our decanting. Recently,” The Wolfpack Commander shares a glance with Wildcat, and Cutup can feel her encouragement, “We came into another source that backs it up.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Wildcat snorts. “Well, more fucking like we’ve had the little </span>
  <em>
    <span>di’kut</span>
  </em>
  <span> for a while and only just actually thought of actually asking him some shit when Prudii’s info got to us.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Cutup raised an eyebrow. “What kinda source?” A pause, and then a grin. “...Wait, this is to do with your ‘stowaway’, isn’t it?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Don’t be a bastard, of course it’s from him. It’s just a pain in the ass to get him to talk about shit because, y’know. Raw fucking wounds and all,” she sighs.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Alpha nods, and Cutup turns to squint at him before gently prodding through the link at the older ARC. Alpha just huffs. “I’m handling the other part of this operation. If Prudii thinks he has something and is worried enough to involve Jaing and the Bad Batch, we need to make a move too.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>A blink. The Bad Batch were involved? That was interesting. “So..?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“So while Prudii and Jaing handle the slicing side of things, you and Alpha are going to be handling the groundwork and handing whatever physical evidence you find back to me and Wildcat. Tread carefully; we’re just confirming Jango’s involvement with the Separatists and it might not mean anything more, but...”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“But,” Alpha finishes, “The vod’alor has a bad feeling about it. And when he has a bad feeling…”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Cutup pulled a face, sucking in a breath. “Shit tends to hit the fan. Got it. Do only we know about this?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Yep,” Wildcat even pops the P, watching Wolffe as he excuses himself and gets up to get them their drinks. “The less people who know about this fuckery, the better. Not even all the Commanders have been told yet, and if the vod’alor wants to he can tell them him-fucking-self. Less </span>
  <em>
    <span>vode</span>
  </em>
  <span> knowing what the fuck we’re doing means that’s less </span>
  <em>
    <span>vode</span>
  </em>
  <span> who can be interrogated by the Sith and associated bastards for information.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Am I gonna have to leave my squad for this?” Not that the rest of the Dominoes would ever let it happen, but...</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>But she follows the angle of his thoughts and snorts, shaking her head. “Sometimes, but not </span>
  <em>
    <span>all</span>
  </em>
  <span> the goddamn time. Your placement in the 501st is actually really fucking good for us; you’re right in the shit, which means all the Sith bullshit - and anything connecting Jango to those bastards - is probably super close at hand. Go hog wild and shit. Interrogate some fuckers, slice some datapads, the usual.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He nods, frowning just as Wolffe reappears with a couple of drinks in his hands. “Some of your Captains and Lieutenants are fucking crazy, Wildcat,” mutters the Commander.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>She grins. “What are they doing now?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Foxtrot and Turbo are trying to get one of your Captains, who is by the way drunk off his </span>
  <em>
    <span>shebs</span>
  </em>
  <span> - Nice, I think - to strip.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh fuck, are they? Hell yeah, I gotta tell them they better get me pictures. Nice has a </span>
  <em>
    <span>great</span>
  </em>
  <span> ass.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Oops, and that’s Cutup’s drink down the wrong way, laughing even as he coughs- Only to laugh even </span>
  <em>
    <span>more</span>
  </em>
  <span> at Alpha’s long-suffering, absolutely </span>
  <em>
    <span>dead inside</span>
  </em>
  <span> expression.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Wolffe just rolls his eyes again. “Are you </span>
  <em>
    <span>trying</span>
  </em>
  <span> to get them kicked out?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Naaaah, they do that to themselves well enough.” She takes her drink from him, swirling it around idly in its glass. “But yeah. That’s the long and short of what you’re fuckin’ doing. Don’t risk yourselves unnecessarily or shit, just get us what we need.” A smirk shot Alpha’s way. “And that’s it. You can go now if you wanna, Alpha.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah,” comes his deadpan, “I think I might.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Cutup scoots out of the way to let the older ARC go, pressing a goodbye and a bit of affection after him… But as soon as he was out of sight, Cutup started laughing. </span>
  <em>
    <span>“Force,</span>
  </em>
  <span> Wildcat. You’re a menace.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“He just can’t handle the Chaos Battalion.” Wildcat winks, giggling. “You gonna stick around a bit, Cutup? Sounds like there’s gonna be a bit of a show, if you know what I mean.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He snorts, knocking back his drink. “Nah, I said I’d play sabacc with my squad tonight. But thanks for the offer.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Hey, any time. And if you boys get bored of the 501st and the constant Seppie bullshit, well. The Battalion could use an ARC squad around.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He grins, pushing off from his seat and waving goodbye. He’d let Hevy know of the offer, anyway, and Wildcat’s satisfaction at knowing that is so strong it’s practically physical. Eh, they’ll probably turn it down, at least for a long while yet. But it’s nice to know that they’re a hot commodity.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>There’s some whoops from the bar, interspersed with wolf-whistles, and Cutup turns just in time to see a brother very unsteadily get up on a table, swaying as he starts clumsily undoing armour and throwing pieces into the crowd. </span>
  <em>
    <span>“C’MON CAPTAIN, SHOW SOME SKIN!”</span>
  </em>
  <span> is yelled from the throng, met by a chorus of laughter.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Well, </span>
  <em>
    <span>that’s</span>
  </em>
  <span> as good a cue as any to hit the road. Cutup chuckles, shaking his head and sliding his helmet back on as he heads towards the door. If the Guard don’t have to show up to keep the peace soon, it’ll be a minor miracle. He can hear Wildcat’s voice start a chorus of “STRIP! STRIP! STRIP!”, can feel Wolffe’s exasperation practically radiating from him, and with that steps out into the misty rain of this starless night.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>There’s work to do, and the night is young. Whistling, he heads back the way he came, and disappears into the bustle of the world that never sleeps.</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I'm currently attempting to stab writer's block, so here's a bit of a filler. There's three other fics started other than this, it's just... Finishing them. Oops. Also, sorry to anybody who's reading this in posting order, we're not getting reactions to the Guard's actions just yet. :P</p>
<p>Again thanks to <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/kyzyner/pseuds/kyzyner">kyzyner</a> for letting me use Turbo!</p>
<p>(Title comes from the song Another Night on Mars by The Maine)</p></blockquote></div></div>
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